A group of people started an awareness programme for the community on the importance of the seafood industry which has turned into a movement of sorts. New Hampshire Seafood Fresh and Local is changing the way people think about seafood. In 2008 Fresh and Local was developed as an initiative to ensure the committee’s work resulted in more than just a report on the local fishing industry and the challenges it faces.
It started with education and culminated with the first “Fishtival” last fall — an event that attracted an estimated 5,000 people to Prescott Park. Erik Anderson, a committee member and head New Hampshire Commercial Fishermen’s Association, said that they just wanted to bring some recognition to the industry and the challenges it faces. But things have changed in a better way.
The goal of initiative is to preserve and promote New Hampshire’s 400-year commercial fishing industry and educate the public on the industry’s impact on the economy, job creation, tourism, community population and demographic diversity.
The Fresh and Local logo brings a promise that the product was caught and processed in New Hampshire. The main aim is to make people aware that purchasing local seafood not only gets them the freshest products, but it helps the community by keeping money local and local fisherman employed. This helps the restaurants to sell products as per local interest and sustainability.
Anderson comments that they are still trying to bring more public awareness. They have the distinction of being a seaport, we have a fishing industry and a fishing community and we want to make sure the public is aware of the products available. They have chosen to support the local community through their consumer choice.
